The word agape [pronounced ag-ah-pay'] is the Greek word for "spiritual love."
1st century AD Christians, however, gave this word the uniquely Christ-centered meaning of "self-sacrificial love." "Agape"
is the word Jesus used when He commanded us to love one another as He has loved us in
John 13:34: I give you a new commandment: love one another.
As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples,
if you have love for one another.

In Pope Francis' apostolic exhortation on evangelization, he wrote: "The study of the Sacred Scriptures must be a door opened to every believer.
It is essential that the revealed Word radically enrich our catechesis and all our efforts to pass on the faith." He further explained:
"Evangelization demands familiarity with God's Word, which calls for dioceses, parishes and Catholic associations to provide for a serious,
ongoing study of the Bible, while encouraging its prayerful individual and communal reading" (Evangelii Gaudium, November 24, 2013).
This is the mission of Agape Bible Study. We are dedicated to providing free Bible study materials to everyone who desires to explore the fullness
of God's Truth in Sacred Scripture and in the Tradition that has been passed on to the Church by Jesus to His holy Apostles and from them to their successors.

About our Logo:The three blocks of color in our logo represent the mystery of the Triune God.
The red block represents God the Father. Sacred Scripture tells us that God manifested
Himself to Moses in a fire blazing from the middle of a bush (Exodus 3:2),
He manifested Himself to the Israelites as a holy fire on the heights of Mt. Sinai (Exodus 19:18),
and the inspired writers of both Deuteronomy and Hebrews described God as a consuming fire
(Deuteronomy 4:24; Hebrews 12:29) in His desire to purify His children to bring
them to salvation (1 Corinthians 3:12-15). The bright yellow block represents God the Son,
the Light of the World (John 1:4; 8:12) who brings God's gift of salvation to mankind (CCC# 432; 2466).
The blue block represents God the Holy Spirit who imparts new life in the Sacrament of Baptism
through water and the Spirit (John 3:5; CCC# 720). The positions of the blocks also represent
the progression of the Holy Spirit who proceeds from the Father and the Son
(CCC# 245-248; Latin Rite Nicene-Constantinople Creed; the Council of Florence).
The cross symbol is presented on top of the blocks, which represent the Most Holy Trinity,
as a sign that the cross of Jesus Christ is the only ladder to heaven
(John 17:2-3; Acts 4:12; 1 Timothy 2:3-6).

Agape Bible Study follows the guidelines of Catholic
teaching on Sacred Scripture which is drawn from five authoritative sources:

CCC#107: Sacred Scripture must be read and interpreted in the light of the same Spirit by whom it was written...

CCC#101: Sacred Scripture must be studied within the living Tradition of the whole Church ... (CCC#113). In every lesson the Biblical text is studied in accordance with the ancient tradition of the two senses of Scripture: the literal and the spiritual, the latter being subdivided into the allegorical, moral, and anagogical senses (see CCC# 115-117).

In order to discern the sacred writer's original meaning and intent every lesson takes into account:

The conditions of the time the passages were written (historical background) and the culture and literary genres in use at the time.

Attention to the original language employed by the inspired writer: Hebrew in the Old Testament as well as Greek in the Septuagint Old Testament translation, and the Greek language used in the New Testament.

An understanding of the entire context of the passage and the relationship between that passage of Sacred Scripture and other Old or New Testament passages (prophecy and typology).

Several years ago Pope-Emeritus Benedict XVI expressed his concern for modern-day methods of interpreting the Bible that
are too limiting in which some scholars and Bible teachers read Scripture in an attempt to pluck out answers from unrelated texts.
Instead, Pope Benedict encouraged the faithful to study Sacred Scripture as one whole, as the inspired word of God in which
everything relates to everything else in salvation history, with the whole of the Bible leading to Christ and its message
forever in the present, addressing each generation (see what Jesus said about [Old Testament] Scripture and the events of
His mission in Luke 24:26-27, 44-48).

Organization of the Agape Bible Study Website:
Each study also provides numerous charts to illustrate teaching points of Biblical events and charts
to illustrate typological relationships that assist students in understanding complex biblical themes.
Information is also included concerning archaeological discoveries which support the Biblical account.
Each of the Bible study courses emphasizes the study of Sacred Scripture in the light
of the cumulative effect of Salvation History with an emphasis on Christianity's Jewish, Old Covenant roots - taking as a guide
St. Augustine's statement ...for the New [Testament] is hidden in the Old and the Old [Testament] is fulfilled in the New.

You will find that Agape Bible Study is divided into Bible Studies, Documents, Charts, and the Sunday Lectionary Readings. The Documents and the Charts sections
contain the various resources that may be referenced in the
lessons. All materials are free. There is no sign-up. There is no registration. The studies that are currently offered are
divided into Old Testament, New Testament and Topical Studies:

For more information on the study of Sacred Scripture, please see the document A Guide to the Study of Sacred Scripture
in the main menu under "Bible Studies." There is no "sign in" and all the studies and resources are free
for you to download and print out. If you distribute any materials, please observe our copyright requirements that the author
and the www.AgapeBibleStudy.com website must be listed on all materials.
Before you begin each Agape Bible Study lesson, please pray that God the Holy Spirit will guide you in your study,
and that He will reveal to you the truth of God's Living Word, our Savior Christ Jesus. In pursuing the truth contained in
Sacred Scripture please also keep in mind St. Thomas a Kempis' advice:Mankind is always changing; God's truth stands forever.
And he has many ways of speaking to us, regardless of the human instruments he uses. Often enough, our reading of Holy Scripture
is distracted by mere curiosity; we want to seize upon a point and argue about it, when we ought to be quietly passing on.
You will get most out of it if you read it with humility, and simplicity, and faith, not concerned to make a name for yourself as a scholar.
By all means ask questions but listen to what holy writers have to tell you; do not find fault with the hard sayings
of antiquity - their authors had good reason for writing as they did.
St. Thomas a Kempis, The Imitation of Christ: "On the Reading of Holy Scripture," 1.5.2

Per Crucem ad Lucem: "Through the Cross to the Light"

Agape Bible Study staff: Jerry (WebMaster), Ashliegh, Mike, Jason

Our Table at the Indianapolis Catholic Men's Conference

Senior Editor: Lucille

In fact, preaching the Gospel gives me nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion and I should be in trouble if I failed to do it. If I did it on my own initiative I would deserve a reward; but if I do it under compulsion I am simply accepting a task entrusted to me. What reward do I have, then? That in my preaching I offer the Gospel free of charge to avoid using the rights which the Gospel allows me.1 Corinthians 9:17-18